The Wild

The Blu-ray video presentation of "The Wild" delivers a breathtaking high-definition experience, demonstrating the considerable capabilities of the format with a 1.85:1 widescreen, 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 transfer. Colors burst with a vividness and depth that practically leap off the screen, showcasing lush greens, deep oranges, and warm browns with a clarity that elevates this animated feature to the pinnacle of visual splendor. The detail in the animation is extraordinary, from the individual strands of fur on the animals to the rich, textured landscapes they inhabit, providing an eye-candy festival for viewers. Black levels and shadow details are impeccably rendered, ensuring that every scene is as visually captivating as it is meant to be, without any discernible flaws.

What sets "The Wild" apart is not just its pristine, direct digital-to-digital image quality but also the naturalistic control over contrast. Unlike some CGI films that suffer from blown-out visuals or over-saturated colors, this movie maintains a beautifully balanced picture that enhances its realistic feel, despite being an entirely artificial creation. The film leverages a refined chroma management that avoids noise and oversaturation, making the viewing experience exceptionally smooth and pleasing to the eye. Additionally, the 3D moments embedded within the film are so impressively rendered that they set a new high standard for animated movies, making it difficult to return to standard-definition content.

However, it's worth noting that some background elements in "The Wild" might appear slightly soft or out of focus – an artistic choice likely intended by the filmmakers to direct viewers' attention more effectively rather than a flaw in the video transfer itself. This Blu-ray release indisputably serves as a showcase title for the capabilities of high-definition home entertainment, and it stands as a must-own for enthusiasts seeking reference-quality visuals that demonstrate what the format can achieve.

The audio presentation of "The Wild" on Blu Ray, boasting an uncompressed PCM 5.1 surround track encoded at a robust 48 kHz/24-bit, delivers an audio experience that, while not breaking new ground, certainly enhances the film's atmosphere and overall enjoyment. The dialogue emerges crisp and clear from the center channel, ensuring that every word is intelligible. This clarity is complemented by a dynamic mix of ambient sounds and action sequences that utilize the rear channels effectively, providing a lively experience. The hard panning and directionality during these sequences are particularly commendable, creating a convincing audio environment that draws the listener into the film's world.

Disney's choice of soundtrack for "The Wild" veers away from its traditional orchestral scores and musical numbers, opting instead for a compilation of modern pop songs by artists like Coldplay and the Goo Goo Dolls. This decision pays off with the tracks being well-defined and vibrant through the audio mix, contributing to the fun and poppy feel of the film without overwhelming the other elements. The music, combined with inventive surround effects and detailed atmospheric animal sounds in the rear channels, ensures an immersive listening experience. While some may not find it an all-out "gangbusters" soundtrack, the audio presentation does its job admirably, offering excellent dynamics, deep bass, and smooth imaging.

In summary, Disney delivers a solid audio performance with "The Wild." The uncompressed PCM track does well to balance dialogue clarity, ambient fill, and music presentation, making for an engaging audio experience. While it may not be referenced as audio material, its effectiveness and the thoughtful utilisation of the surround sound space merit recognition. The soundtrack’s execution demonstrates careful consideration of how audio can enhance the animation, ensuring that it contributes significantly to the viewer's enjoyment of the film.

The Blu-ray extras for "The Wild" are a slim collection that seems somewhat sparse given Disney's usual flair for lavish bonus content, yet they still provide a unique behind-the-scenes peek into the animated feature. Among the highlights is a series of deleted scenes that come with insightful directorial commentary, giving audiences a taste of what could have been. Standouts include the Eddie Izzard Unleashed bloopers and blunders reel, full of comedic gems that spotlight Izzard's improvisational prowess. Although the extras lean towards the lighter side, with music videos and mockumentary features catered more towards younger viewers, the inclusion of all materials in full 1080p video quality is commendable. These features, while not groundbreaking, offer a mix of entertainment and insight, making it a decent package for fans looking for a bit more from the film's universe, despite the lack of more in-depth filmmaking explorations or a broader array of content.

Extras included in this disc:

• Deleted Scenes with Director Commentary: Brief dive into what didn't make the final cut.
• Eddie Izzard Unleashed Bloopers and Blunders: A compilation of humorous missteps and improvisations.
• Real Wild Child Music Video: A catchy tune likely to appeal to the younger audience.
• Meet Colin: The Rock Hyrax: Light-hearted mockumentary-style feature.

"The Wild," Disney's foray into the densely populated landscape of CGI animated talking animal movies, lands with a mix of familiar echoes and a dab of novelty. At its core, we find the tale of Samson (voiced by Kiefer Sutherland) and his son Ryan (voiced by Greg Cripes), lions ensnared in an adventure that spans from the confines of New York Zoo to the untamed wilderness of Africa. While the storyline undoubtedly draws parallels with predecessors like "The Lion King" and "Madagascar," offering nothing groundbreaking in terms of plot, it compensates with a humorous and engaging character ensemble led by the likes of Eddie Izzard's Nigel the koala and James Belushi's Benny the squirrel, who inject much-needed vitality and humor into the narrative.

Despite its derivative plot, the film distinguishes itself with some visually striking sequences and commendable CGI work. The animation team, under the directorial debut of Steven "Spaz" Williams, provides meticulously detailed and beautifully rendered characters. Particularly noteworthy is the animation of animal fur, which moves naturally and adds a layer of realism to the anthropomorphized cast. Such details, alongside vivid renditions of settings like an animated Times Square, showcase the film's technical strengths, even if it occasionally reveals the constraints of its budget compared to the more lavish productions from studios like Pixar.

However, "The Wild" ultimately struggles to carve out a memorable identity in a crowded genre. While it boasts fine voice acting and a handful of exceptional scenes, the film's conventional storyline and lack of emotional depth prevent it from achieving the resonance found in more iconic films. It serves as an entertaining diversion, particularly for younger audiences, its contribution to the animated genre feels somewhat fleeting. The movie is well-executed in terms of animation quality and has its moments of charm and wit, mainly thanks to its supporting characters, but it fails to deliver a compelling story that can stand toe-to-toe with the classics it so clearly attempts to emulate.

"The Wild" on Blu-ray presents a mixed bag that is both visually stunning and somewhat lacking in narrative depth when compared to leading industry standards like Pixar. The absolute reference video quality and animation detail are its strongest suits, offering viewers a veritable feast for the eyes that seldom disappoints. Certain scenes stand out for their impressive visual treatment, marking high points in the movie's presentation. However, the film’s overall animation and storytelling may leave some audiences wanting, especially those familiar with the more refined outputs of top animation studios.

Eddie Izzard's performance as Nigel the talking Koala is a clear highlight, bringing a unique charm and humor to the film that elevates it beyond its straightforward storyline. While the movie may not break new ground, it is undeniably entertaining, particularly for families with children. The Blu-ray edition excels with its great transfer and sound quality, ensuring an immersive viewing experience. On the downside, the extras offered are somewhat sparse, which might deter some collectors and enthusiasts from adding this release to their libraries without the added value of comprehensive behind-the-scenes content or additional features.

In conclusion, "The Wild" on Blu-ray shines with its visual and auditory presentation, making it a notable addition to a family's movie collection, especially for those with children or for fans of Eddie Izzard. While it may not reach the illustrious heights of its Pixar contemporaries in storytelling or animation complexity, it offers enough entertainment value and visual spectacle to warrant consideration for purchase. However, the lack of substantial extras may lead some potential buyers to view this release more as a high-quality rental rather than a must-own title.